New evidence reveals Neanderthals stunning jewelry – Eagle Talons

A new study has figured out that Neanderthals must have had a sharp sense of fashion than may have revealed before. They turned eagle claws into what researchers have described as ‘stunning’ jewelry. That was nearly 130,000 years ago.

Even before the Neanderthals in Europe came into contact with the modern humans, they had some fascinating style whereby they wore eagle talons. From a Neanderthals cave in Croatia, researchers discovered eight talons believed to be from white-tailed eagles. It is believed that the talons were strung together and worn as bracelet or necklace.

The eagle claws discovered in a Neanderthals cave had stunning distinct cut marks and notches.

Modern behavior

According to David Frayer, a professor of anthology at the University of Kansas and the author of the study, Neanderthals were amazing people in their style. Frayer noted that the image that is emerging is that Neanderthals were actually much more modern in their style and behavior.

Inside the Neanderthals cave in Croatia, archaeologists found some other artifacts that include stone tools, rhino bones, hearth and some more. However, there was little evidence to point to the sign of modern human activity in the cave discoveries.

The eagle talons that have continued to give more evidence about the style of Neanderthals were excavated nearly 100 years ago at a site known as Krapina. The researchers also discovered 900 bones of Neanderthals, which dated back to about 120,000-130,000 years.

Evidence shows that the modern man, Homo sapiens, didn’t spread to you Europe up until just about some 40,000 years ago.

Recent evidence

Although the eagle talons that have turned out to be stunning jewelry had been studied a number of times before, the cut marks on them had not been noticed. It was only last year when a curator, discovered the cut marks while assessing some of the Krapina artifacts.

What remains mysterious to researchers is how the talons were assembled into the amazing jewelry that they seem to be. Archaeologists only suspected that maybe the talons were rubbed against one another or wrapped in some material kind of fiber to make them smooth.